Isotonix OPC-3 tic trigger?

[patty]

Ten days before my son's sudden onset of acute case of head nods, I was giving him Isotonix OPC-3 to boost his immune system for his allergy. It consists of Grape Seed, Red Wine, Pine bark and Bilberry Extract and Citrus Extract Bioflavonoids.

 

Anyone out there have tried it? Know what it is? And can supplement cause tic?!!

 

It was recommended by his Chinese doctor and he does East/West medicinal practice. He is a great doctor. Since he's been treating my son for his allergy and asthma, my son does not use albuterol or flonase.

 

Thx a million for responding.

[Guest]

I don't know anything about Isotonix OPC-3, but I can give you my experience with herbs specifically Chinese herbs. My acupuncturist is a great acupuncturist, and it has nothing to do with her, but individual tolerance of certain products. I've tried two different Chinese herbal formula's for different purposes, both of which I didn't tolerate and saw the same side effects. I wouldn't say I saw tic increase, but maybe I didn't and just didn't recognize it. I noticed forgetfulness from them both. The other thing was real strange and I don't know if it was an attention problem or what, but when I was writing I would be leaving a letter out of the word that I obviously clearly knew. For example with the word, problem, I might have written it as problm, etc. It was just plain weird and a bit scary. I was in a composition class at the time, and I had to reread everything very carefully to check for this issue.

 

Is your son still taking the OPC? I would suggest stopping it for two weeks and seeing if the tics get better. When starting new things sometimes tics get worse at first, but depending on how long you've seen this I would suggest stopping the OPC's for a while. Any supplements/herbs/meds can cause reactions in any form. For example, a certain type of B vitamin caused me to have some much energy I only needed three hours of sleep at night and probably could have ran fine without any sleep. For others, they may handle that certain vitamin without any problems. So take one vitamin at a time and if your child doesn't seem to tolerate it, remove it for a couple weeks, and try readding it slowly.

 

Carolyn

[patty]

I don't know anything about Isotonix OPC-3, but I can give you my experience with herbs specifically Chinese herbs. My acupuncturist is a great acupuncturist, and it has nothing to do with her, but individual tolerance of certain products. I've tried two different Chinese herbal formula's for different purposes, both of which I didn't tolerate and saw the same side effects. I wouldn't say I saw tic increase, but maybe I didn't and just didn't recognize it. I noticed forgetfulness from them both. The other thing was real strange and I don't know if it was an attention problem or what, but when I was writing I would be leaving a letter out of the word that I obviously clearly knew. For example with the word, problem, I might have written it as problm, etc. It was just plain weird and a bit scary. I was in a composition class at the time, and I had to reread everything very carefully to check for this issue.

 

Is your son still taking the OPC? I would suggest stopping it for two weeks and seeing if the tics get better. When starting new things sometimes tics get worse at first, but depending on how long you've seen this I would suggest stopping the OPC's for a while. Any supplements/herbs/meds can cause reactions in any form. For example, a certain type of B vitamin caused me to have some much energy I only needed three hours of sleep at night and probably could have ran fine without any sleep. For others, they may handle that certain vitamin without any problems. So take one vitamin at a time and if your child doesn't seem to tolerate it, remove it for a couple weeks, and try readding it slowly.

 

Carolyn

 

Thx for your input. i stopped the OPC3 as soon as the tics kick in and have not given it to him since.

 

Do you find acunpucture helps with your tics? I started my son with it and it seem to help, but after about 6/7 times, he is screaming and crying from the needles. My son is only 6. Although my son's tics are better than the beginning. I am considering using acupunture again.

 

Also, the last couple of times after his chiropractic adjustment for his neck ( he has a head nodding tic), his tics seem to decrease in frequency and jekiness. Coincident?

 

Patty

[Guest]

Yes, I do find the acupuncture helps with my tics. Why is your son screaming from the needles? Is he scared of them or are they hurting? If they're hurting then maybe this is workable with adjusting the needles, but if he's scared of the needles I would really try to go needle free by using maybe acupressure. If your son is screaming and crying this is causing him stress which is probably making tics worse when acupuncture should be relaxing. At 6, I would have been screaming and crying too.

 

No, I don't believe the decrease in tics after chiropractic adjustment is just a coincidence. I don't use chiropractic, but massage/Chinese cupping and I rarely get any jerks as long as I keep up on the massage/Chinese cupping.

 

Carolyn

[patty]

Yes, I do find the acupuncture helps with my tics. Why is your son screaming from the needles? Is he scared of them or are they hurting? If they're hurting then maybe this is workable with adjusting the needles, but if he's scared of the needles I would really try to go needle free by using maybe acupressure. If your son is screaming and crying this is causing him stress which is probably making tics worse when acupuncture should be relaxing. At 6, I would have been screaming and crying too.

 

No, I don't believe the decrease in tics after chiropractic adjustment is just a coincidence. I don't use chiropractic, but massage/Chinese cupping and I rarely get any jerks as long as I keep up on the massage/Chinese cupping.

 

Carolyn

 

 

Carolyn,

 

Thx for mentioning acupressure. I haven't thought about that. I think that would be a good idea for my son. I tried the acupunture with my son and i know it doesn't really hurt.

 

What kind of acupunture and cupping do you do? and how often? I believe my acupunturist aims at relaxing the nervous system. She has placed needles in the forehead, hands by the thumb and feet by the toe areas.

 

Thx!

 

patty

[Chemar]

Patty

 

our acupuncture therapist does the cupping along with reflexology and massage simultaneously while the needles are in place

 

If the needles are hurting your son then they are not being correctly applied...acupuncture should not hurt

if he is just stressed by the procedure, then I agree, acupressure plus maybe reflexology would be very beneficial

[patty]

Patty

 

our acupuncture therapist does the cupping along with reflexology and massage simultaneously while the needles are in place

 

If the needles are hurting your son then they are not being correctly applied...acupuncture should not hurt

if he is just stressed by the procedure, then I agree, acupressure plus maybe reflexology would be very beneficial

 

chemar,

 

how often does your son get the above treatments?

 

patty

[Chemar]

he goes once a month, Patty........when he has been in major waxing in the past he went weekly or fortnightly

 

when things were very mild he went every 3-6 months for a "tune up"

[kim]

Patty,

 

During a recent head shaking episode for my oldest son, he was head shaking every 15 seconds on the way to the chiropractor. It's about 1/2 hour drive. On the way home, I don't think he shook his head more than 3 times total.

 

I don't think it was a coincidence either.

[patty]

Patty,

 

During a recent head shaking episode for my oldest son, he was head shaking every 15 seconds on the way to the chiropractor. It's about 1/2 hour drive. On the way home, I don't think he shook his head more than 3 times total.

 

I don't think it was a coincidence either.

 

 

Thx Kim,

 

I think I am going to get my son back on the maintance schedule. You & others inputs really help me find the missing pieces.

 

Does your chiropractor adjust for the neck since your son has a head shaking tic? And does your son's chiropractor has experience treating motor or vocal tics?

 

Since my son has a head nodding tic, his chiropractor adjusts his neck. I wonder if the spine may also need adjustment, since there are alot of nerves.

 

patty

[kim]

Patty,

 

Our Chiropractor does adjustments at the neck and back.

 

He said that he has treated a few kids with tics, both vocal and motor. He told me about twin brothers with TS. He said that adjustments helped one brother more than the other.

 

This Dr. sold me when he said that none of his 3 kids had been vaccinated. I asked what his Pediatrician thought of that. He said they have never had the need for a Pediatrician. I knew when I saw the natural healing magazines, the brochures regarding caution when considering vaxing, the pure water cooler, that we were probably at the right place. Our area does not provide a lot (almost none) of choices for alternative practitioners.

 

It seems that my boys get tics in areas of their bodies that have some sort of irritation. When the weather gets dry and cold, we have to keep tons of lip stuff handy. If it gets dry around the mouth, licking,

swipping with shirt sleeve, and mouth stretching are likely to appear. I recently posted about my oldest son developing an abdominal tic, when he was having a very acidy stomach from vit C. I think the head shaking starts from illness or irritation (too much wheat/or maybe just plain old stress), and gets into a vicious cycle, where the tic itself starts causing muscle fatigue and misalignment and keeps the head shaking flairing. The adjustments seem to break the cycle, along with extra cal/mag, and whatever else I think may help. If it's illness related, I might increase zinc and vit C for example. Sodium ascorbate not ascorbic acid, anymore, for oldest. My younger son seems to tolerate ascorbic acid ok though.

[Guest]

Patty,

 

I do Chinese acupuncture and cupping. My acupuncturist usually places needles in my forehead, on top of my head, one on each arm, on the hands, 1-2 on the leg, and one on the foot. There's so many points on those spots, I wouldn't be able to tell you which one is for what, but that's where they are placed. I've had it done on my back once. I get cupping done every time I go and usually it's before the acupuncture to help me relax.

 

I get acupuncture done once a month currently, but hoping to be able to move it back to 1 1/2 months soon.

 

My acupuncturist read the study on TS & acupuncture when I first started going to her about almost two years ago. She treats me for my tics along with other stuff. Even though she treats me for them, we normally don't discuss tics because I don't like discussing tics that much other than on these forums.

 

Carolyn

[patty]

Patty,

 

I do Chinese acupuncture and cupping. My acupuncturist usually places needles in my forehead, on top of my head, one on each arm, on the hands, 1-2 on the leg, and one on the foot. There's so many points on those spots, I wouldn't be able to tell you which one is for what, but that's where they are placed. I've had it done on my back once. I get cupping done every time I go and usually it's before the acupuncture to help me relax.

 

I get acupuncture done once a month currently, but hoping to be able to move it back to 1 1/2 months soon.

 

My acupuncturist read the study on TS & acupuncture when I first started going to her about almost two years ago. She treats me for my tics along with other stuff. Even though she treats me for them, we normally don't discuss tics because I don't like discussing tics that much other than on these forums.

 

Carolyn

 

Thx for the info Carolyn. It is hard to find an acupuncturist who has treated tics or TS. Ours has only treated some minor nervous tics. It would be great to know that there are certains points out there that help relieve tics.

 

patty

 

Patty,

 

Our Chiropractor does adjustments at the neck and back.

 

He said that he has treated a few kids with tics, both vocal and motor. He told me about twin brothers with TS. He said that adjustments helped one brother more than the other.

 

This Dr. sold me when he said that none of his 3 kids had been vaccinated. I asked what his Pediatrician thought of that. He said they have never had the need for a Pediatrician. I knew when I saw the natural healing magazines, the brochures regarding caution when considering vaxing, the pure water cooler, that we were probably at the right place. Our area does not provide a lot (almost none) of choices for alternative practitioners.

 

It seems that my boys get tics in areas of their bodies that have some sort of irritation. When the weather gets dry and cold, we have to keep tons of lip stuff handy. If it gets dry around the mouth, licking,

swipping with shirt sleeve, and mouth stretching are likely to appear. I recently posted about my oldest son developing an abdominal tic, when he was having a very acidy stomach from vit C. I think the head shaking starts from illness or irritation (too much wheat/or maybe just plain old stress), and gets into a vicious cycle, where the tic itself starts causing muscle fatigue and misalignment and keeps the head

shaking flairing. The adjustments seem to break the cycle, along with extra cal/mag, and whatever else I think may help. If it's illness related, I might increase zinc and vit C for example. Sodium ascorbate not ascorbic acid, anymore, for oldest. My younger son seems to tolerate ascorbic acid ok though.

 

Thx Kim,

 

I will check with our chiropractor regarding adjusting the back as well.

 

Patty

[Guest]

Patty,

 

Yes, it is hard to find an acupuncturist that has treated tics or TS. Mine had no experience, but was willing to give it a try and look at some of the papers about it. This site gives some of the points, etc. used in a study for Tourette Syndrome: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/tourettes.htm Maybe that will be of some help.

 

Carolyn

[patty]

Patty,

 

Yes, it is hard to find an acupuncturist that has treated tics or TS. Mine had no experience, but was willing to give it a try and look at some of the papers about it. This site gives some of the points, etc. used in a study for Tourette Syndrome: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/tourettes.htm Maybe that will be of some help.

 

Carolyn

 

Thx a million Carolyn for the link. How did you come across this info.? I am not that good on the computer. Most of the time, I just google the key words.

 

Patty